LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



(o \ '^ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



,i.V 






SOME ISrOTES XJPOI^ 



INTRODUCTION 



WOOLEN MANUFACTURE 



UJ^^^ITED STATES. 



KOYAL C. TAFT. 



S' 



if 




PKOVIDENCE : 

[DNEY S. RIDER. 

1882. 






This paper was read before the Rhode Island Historical Society, 
AprU 18, 1882. 



COPYRIGHT, 1882. 



J 



A 



-i> 



PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY, PRINTERS. 



r.'^^ 
iM 



PEEFACE 



In January, 1871, upon the request of the 
" Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement 
of Domestic Industry," I prepared a paper upon 
the '• Introduction of the Woolen Manufacture 
into the United States," which was published in 
the transactions of the Society for 1870. 

The origin of this request was the following 
letter from Hon. Horace Capron, then Secretary 
of ^Agriculture, Washington, D. C, to a member 
of the Society, viz. : 

"Department of Agriculture, \ 

"Washington, D. C, January 18, 1870. j 

" Hon. James DeW. Perry, Bristol, R. I. 

" Mt Dear Sir : — . . . . It has occurred to me to ask 
you to refer a matter of considerable importance to me, to 
your Society for investigation. The Hon. J. G. Dudley, in 
a paper read before the Historical Society of New York, 
claims that the first woolen factory built in the United States 



IV PREFACE. 

was by my father, Dr. Seth Capron, in 1809, in Oriskany, 
Oneida County, N. Y. Mr. Seth Newton Dexter, of that 
state, on referring to a letter written by Samuel Lawrence, 
in which he claims that honor for Rhode Island, — a woolen 
mill built in 1813, — says ' that Mr. Lawrence is widely in 
error. The first mill erected was by Dr. Seth Capron, at 
Oriskany, Oneida County, N. Y., with whom was associa- 
ted DeWitt Clinton, Francis Bloodgood, Chancellor Piatt, 
Smith Thompson, Stephen Van Renselear, Elisha Jenkins 
and others. Work was commenced in 1809, during em- 
bargo times, in anticipation of an act of incorporation, which 
was granted by the legislature in 1811.' 

' ' If your Society should be pleased to take up this matter 
for investigation, I would be gratified to learn the result, be- 
cause in so important a historical fact, credit should be 
awarded to whom it is due. 

" I am Sir, 

" Very respectfully, 

" Horace Capron." 



The original paper, in order in point of time 
to meet the wishes of the Society, was necessa- 
rily somewhat hastily prepared and was slightly 
inaccurate in some minor details, and having 
always intended giving this matter further con- 
sideration, now in reviewing it, I am able to give 



PREFACE. V 

additioaai and accurate information respecting 
the subject of the investigation. 

I then reached the conclusion that Arthur and 
John Scholfield, were the first woolen manufac- 
turers in this country. All subsequent enquiry 
has confirmed the opinion then expressed. 

R. C. T, 

Providence, August, 1882, 



WOOLEI^r MANUFACTtJRE. 



The necessity for the introduction into our 
domestic economy of the industrial arts practiced 
and fostered in Great Britain, and so important 
to us as a nation, became more apparent, and 
found expression soon after the close of the war 
of the Revolution ; the obstacles placed in the 
way by her adverse legislation, but served to stim- 
ulate the enterprise of our fathers, who, having 
secured their independence, were now looking to 
the promotion of those industries in this country, 
which would best serve its interests, and render 
it independent of the old world. This desire was 
general throughout the country, but in no sec- 
tion was a progressive spirit more manifest than 
in New England. After the close of the war, 
many enterprises which had been undertaken 
came to an end, by reason of foreign competi- 
tion. 

George Bancroft, in '^History of the formation 



Z LARGE IMPORTS. 

of the Constitution of the United States of Amer- 
ica," says : 

" The prospect of enormous gains tempted 
American merchants to import in one year more 
than their exports could pay for in three ; while 
factors of English houses, bringing over British 
goods on British account, jostled American mer- 
chants in their own streets." 

" The people had looked for peace and pros- 
perity to come hand in hand, and when hostili- 
ties ceased, they ran into debt for English goods, 
never doubting that their wonted industries 
would yield them the means of payment as of 
old. But excessive importations at low prices 
crushed domestic manufactures." 

The heavy debt in which the colonies were 
involved, the lack of any sound financial system, 
and the absence of all laws regulating commerce, 
— allowing our markets to be filled to overflow- 
ing with the manufactures of Europe, — rendered 
the prospect for American manufactures in the 
future very discouraging. 

Almost the first necessity of a people, is that 
for clothing, therefore the domestic manufacture 
of cotton and w^oolen fabrics was of the utmost 
importance, and its encouragement and protec- 
tion received early consideration. As early as 



PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION. 6 

Februai-y 3, 1781, Congress asked of the states 
as an "indispensable necessity," the power to lay 
a duty upon all imports, with no exemption ex- 
cept of wool cards and cotton cards and the wires 
for making them. 

This first (though unsuccessful) scheme of 
duties on foreign commerce sought to foster 
American industry by the free admission of ma- 
terials necessary to the manufacture. 

July 2, 1785, the General Court of Massa- 
chusetts passed an act imposing a duty upon 
foreign manufactures, with the intent to encour- 
age and protect their manufacture at home. 
This was the first protective tariff passed in the 
colonies. The legislature of Pensylvania passed 
a bill, September 20, 1785, to " protect the man- 
ufactures " of Pensylvania, laying a duty upon 
more than seventy articles, being only about two 
months behind Massachusetts. 

The general court of Massachusetts appoint- 
ed a joint committee, October 25, 1786, "to 
view any new invented machines that are mak- 
ing within this commonwealth, for the purpose 
of manufacturing sheep's and cotton wool, and 
report what measures are proper for the legis- 
lature to take to encourage the same." And 
upon the report of this committee an appropria- 
tion of two hundred pounds was made. 



4 IMPORTANCE OF HOME MANUFACTURE. 

The importance of home manufactures is thus 
expressed in the Boston Gazette in 1788, viz. : 

" Until we manufacture more it is absurd to 
celebrate the fourth of July as the birth-day of 
our independence. We are still a dependent 
people ; and what is worse, after the blood and 
treasure we have expended, we are actually taxed 
by Great Britain. Our imports help to fill her 
revenue and to pay the interest of a debt contract- 
ed in an attempt to enslave us." 

In " A Topographical and Historical descrip- 
tion of Boston, 1794," the writer says : " I would 
remark here, that many artists who arrive among 
us from abroad, are in poor circumstances, and 
are unable to set up manufactures for themselves. 
If such whose knowledge is competent to their 
profession, were assisted by wealthy citizens, 
they might become very beneficial members of 
society. By such me^ns the various arts prac- 
ticed in Europe, might in process of time be 
transplanted to America." 

" As linens and woolens are very large articles 
of consumption, and carry out of the Common- 
wealth a large proportion of its specie, it would 
be well to pay attention . to fabricating them 
here." 

" Specimens that have been given of linen and 



IMPERFECT CARDING. O 

woolen cloths made here, demonstrate that we 
have mannfactuuei's among us who are well 
skilled in making up the materials ; and the num- 
ber of them will increase by imigration from 
other countries." 

" We are told that in 1667, a piece of woolen 
cloth was never dyed or dressed in England ; it 
was improved by the skill of foreigners who 
came there ; and that in a little more than a cen- 
tury the product was estimated at 16,800,000 
pounds sterling, above 75,000,000 dollars per 
annum. Let us try what can be done in the 
United States." 

The manufacture of cotton goods had become 
established, and was a recognized industry in 
1790. The manufacture of woolens in the im- 
proved manner practiced in Europe, by machin- 
ery, had not yet been inaugurated ; its introduc- 
tion, without following its subsequent develop- 
ment, to any great extent, will be the object of 
this paper. 

The imperfect manner of carding wool by the 
hand-card, when spun necessarily made uneven 
yarn, for which reason the cloth would be im- 
perfect, the different parts shrinking unevenly 
in the process of finishing. This defect was 
remedied by the adoption of the machine card- 



D THE FIRST STEP IN THE MANUFACTURE. 

ing, which mixed and carded the wool so per- 
fectly that the different parts of the cloth would 
receive a uniform finish. 

Therefore the use of the carding machine may 
be regarded as the initial point, the first step in 
the introduction of the woolen manufacture 
proper, or the fabrication by machinery. 

The woolen manufacture had made so little 
progress at the close of the last century, that no 
contemporary recorded history exists, the little 
which can be found is largely traditionary, writ- 
ten long afterward from the recollections of those 
who have now passed away. It is fortunate in 
treating of this subject at this time that we have 
the living evidence of those, who if not actors, 
were witnesses to the introduction and of the 
operation of the first carding machine erected in 
this country. 

In Felt's History of Ipswich, Mass., it is stated 
that the town of Ipswich granted land to John 
Manning in 1792, upon which to build a woolen 
factory, and subsequently made an additional 
grant, and in 1795, the town confirmed to Dr. 
Manning the land under the building. The 
building erected was 105 feet long, by 3*2 feet 
wide, being two stories high, built of wood. 

The original design was to make woolen goods 



BYFIELD FACTORY. 7 

and for a few years, broadcloths, blankets and 
flannels were manufactured ; all the work of 
carding, spinning and weaving was performed 
by hand labor, but not proving profitable, cotton 
manufacture was substituted for woolen, and in 
1800, operations entirely ceased. 

In Coffin's History of Newbury, Mass., the 
author states that, " in June, 1194, the first in- 
corporated woolen factory in Massachusetts was 
erected at the falls of the river Parker, in that 
portion of Newbury, known as Byfield parish. 
Most of the machinery was built in Newbury- 
port, by Messrs. Standring, Armstrong and Guppy, 
Englishmen. In this year Benjamin Greenleaf 
and others were incorporated as the ' Proprie- 
tors of the Newburyport Woolen Manufactory. ' 
.... The goods made there were broadcloths 
and flannels. While the factory was being erect- 
ed a portion of the machinery was operated by 
hand " 

In " Reminiscences of a Nonagenarian," by a 
lady of Newburyport, she writes : " The year I 
was seven years old the first incorporated wool- 
en mill in Massachusetts was established at the 
falls on the river Parker, in the Parish of Byfield, 
in Newbury. The machinery for this factory was 
made in Newburyport, by Messrs. Standring, 



9 BYFIELD FACTORY. 

Armstrong and Guppy, agents ; the Messrs. 

jScholfield and most of the operatives were Eng- 
lish. The erection of this mill created a great 
sensation throughout the whole region. People 
visited it from far.-and near. Ten cents was 
charged as an admittance fee. That iirst winter 
sleighing parties came from all the adjacent 
towns, and as distant as Hampstead and Derry 
in New Hampshire. Row after row of sleighs 
passed over Crane-neck hill, enlivening the bright 
cold days by the joyous tones of their merry bells. 
Never shall I forget the awe with which I en- 
tered what then appeared the vast and imposing 
edifice. The large drums that carried the bands 
on the lower floor, coupled with the novel noise 
and hum, increased this awe, but when I reached 
the second floor, where picking, carding, spinning 
and weaving were in process, my amazement 
became complete. The machinery, with the ex- 
ception of the looms, was driven by water power, 

^the weaving was by hand. Most of the operatives 
were males, a few young girls being employed in 
splicing rolls. In a few years the first company 
was dissolved , and the mill passed into other hands. 
"The Scholfields were succeeded by Messrs. 
Lees and Taylor. These gentlemen were also 
English. New machinery, imported from Eng- 



BYFIELD FACTORY. 9 

land for the manufacture of cotton goods, was put 
in. Mr. Taylor soon left, but Mr. Lees contin- 
ued to operate the mill for several years. 

" The establishment of this factory brought quite 
a revolution in the domestic manufacture of the 
neighborhood. For some time previous, in most 
families, hand carding had been discontinued, 
the wool having been sent to be converted into 
rolls, to the clothier's mills of Mr. Ben Pearson 
or Mr. Samuel Dummer. 

"Lees and Taylor made arrangements by which 
this family carding could be done at their facto- 
ry both cheaper and better than at the smaller 
mills. 

"The introduction of cotton opened a new chan- 
nel of industry. The weaving was still per- 
formed by hand ; as the business increased this 
loom power was not sufficient to supply the de- 
mand for cloths. Their goods consisted of heavy 
tickings and a lighter cloth of blue and white 
striped, or checked, suitable for men's and boys' 
summer wear, aprons, etc. The tickings were 
woven by men on the looms of the factory, but 
much of the lighter stuffs were taken into fami- 
lies and woven on the common house loom." 

Dr. Jedediah Morse, in the " American Gaz- 
etteer," printed at Boston in 1797, says: " A 



10 BYFIELD FACTORY. 

woolen manufactory has been established on an 
extensive scale in Bylield parish, and promises 
to succeed. " 

In Bishop's "History of American Manufac- 
tures" is the following: " The first incorporated 
woolen company in Massachusetts erected a fac- 
tory at the Falls of Parker river, in Byfield Par- 
ish, Newbury. The machinery was made in 
Newbury port. The stockholders were William 
Bartlett, principal, afterwards sole, owner, Wil- 
liam Johnson, Nicholas Johnson, Michael Hodge, 
Joseph Stan wood, Mark Fitz, Mr. Currier, of 
Amesbury, Mr. Parsons, (late chief justice), 
Jonathan Greenleaf, James Prince, Abraham 
Wheelwright, Philip Coombs, and others. The 
English operatives by whom it was started, were 
Arthur, John, and James Scholfield, John Lee, 
Mr. Aspinwall, Abraham and John Taylor, John 
Shaw and James Hall, principally from Oldham 
and Saddle worth, England." 

In reference to this enterprise at Byfield, is 
the following history, prepared from memoranda 
made by Nathan Scholfield, a grandson, now de- 
ceased, and from information furnished the writer 
by James and Thomas Scholfield, sons of John 
Scholfield, and by others of his descendants. 

From which it appears that on the 24th of 



A.RTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 11 

March, 1793, Arthur Scholfield with John Schol- 
field and his family, sons of Arthur Scholfield, 
who lived at Standich-foot, in Saddle worth, York- 
shire, England, sailed from Liverpool in the ship 
" Perseverance " for the United States, where 
they arrived the following May, at Boston. Upon 
the landing of the two brothers, Arthur and John, 
they introduced themselves to Mr. Jedediah 
Morse, — author of " Morse's Geography and 
Gazetteer," — as being manufacturers, and well 
skilled in the most approved method of manu- 
facturing woolen goods in England. Arthur was 
unmarried, John having a wife and six children, 
was accommodated by Mr. Morse with a tene- 
ment in Charlestown, near Bunker's hill, who 
also provided for their immediate necessities, 
and afterwards interested himself largely in their 
behalf. Upon the return of the ship to Liver- 
pool, the following letter of enquiry was directed 
to the captain by Arthur Scholfield, their father, 
viz. : — 

" To Captain Delano Belonging the ship Caled 
the Persivearance now liing at Liverpool. 

" Honoured Sir we are no little Surprised and 
Very unesey that we have not yet Received a 
letter from our Sons Arthur & John Schofield 
who went on Bord Your Vessil to Boston in New 



12 ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 

England, therefore Humble Desire you'l inform 
them of it and let them know how unhappy we 
are Concerning the'm likewise we sent a Box 
after them by Your Brother who sailed in the 
ship Caled the Dutiful Sons and we should be 
glad to know whether the Received it or no And 
if the are in Avant of anything from England it 
shall be Sent them with all Speed and Humbley 
desire You'l make it Conveniant Ether to write 
to them or See them and inform them of all this 
and I make not the least doubt But the will pleas 
You for Your trouble and lethem know trades 
of all sorts are Verry Bad and provishons of all 
sorts very Dear things are strangely altered sins 
the left England we are all well at present so I 
remain Most worthy Sir with due Respects Your 
Hum'e Serv't. 

" Standige foot in Saddleworth, 

-Yorkshire Aug 1 3th 1793 

'' Arthur Schofield." 

' After looking around for a few weeks, Arthur 
and John determined to make a start in the man- 
ufacturing of woolen cloth, and on the 20th of 
June took into copartnership with them a man 
named John Shaw, a spinner and weaver who 
had accompanied them from England, and at 



ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 13 

once commenced the manufacture of woolen 
cloth by hand. 

John Scholfield, being well skilled in the use 
of tools, built the first machinery himself, having 
completed a hand-loom and a spinning-jenny of 
forty spindles by the 4th of August of the same 
year. His books show that he paid £2, 8,8, for 
lumber used in building the machinery, and that 
he charged the company for labor on the same 
£iy,3,(). 

He expended from his own funds for wool, 
£11,3,6, and on the 28th of October, sold from 
the first production of this loom, "24^ yards of 
black broadcloth, for £16,16, and 20 yards of 
mixed broadcloth for £12. All this work 
was done in the house occupied by them in 
Charlestown. 

Mr. Morse was an interested observer of 
what was being done, and seeing that broad- 
cloth could be made to advantage in this coun- 
try, and finding that Arthur and John under- 
stood the construction of machinery used in Eng- 
land, recommended them to some persons of 
wealth in Newburyport, who persuaded the 
brothers to remove to that place, for the pur- 
pose of starting a woolen factory with improved 
machinery, to be constructed under their super- 
vision. 



14 FIRST CARDING MACHINES. 

Upon their arrival at Nevvburyport, December 
1, 1793, — taking with them the machinery built 
at Charlestown, — work was immediately com- 
menced upon a carding machine, which was 
first put together in a room in Lord Timothy 
Dexter's stable, and there operated by hand for 
the purpose of showing its operation to parties 
desiring to engage in the enterprise. James 
Scholfield, living at Montville, Conn., now in his 
ninety-eighth year, was present at this exhibi- 
tion, which he distinctly remembers. 

This was in 1794, and was the first carding 
machine for wool made in the United States, and 
upon this machine were made the first spinning 
rolls carded by machinery. 

Those interested in the enterprise, feeling 
thus assured of success, determined upon the im- 
mediate erection of a factory at Byfield ; the 
building was three stories high and one hundred 
feet in length, and was completed and started in 
1795. 

The first carding machine was made with a 
single cylinder, after which two double machines 
with two cylinders each were completed, and the 
three placed in the Byfield factory, where they 
were tended by James Scholfield, then eleven 
years old. 



FIRST FACTORY IN MASSACHUSETTS. 15 

While the carding and other machinery was 
being constructed, — under the direction of Ar- 
thur and John, — the manufacture of woolen 
goods by hand was continued by them at New- 
buryport, as originally commenced at Charles- 
town, for their own account until October 12, 
1794, when they sold their machinery to the 
company and removed to Byfield to superintend 
and start the new factory. 

John Scholfield was employed as overseer of 
the weaving, and as agent of the company in the 
purchase of the wool, Arthur was overseer of 
the carding. John Shaw was employed as a 
weaver ; he worked in the factory for a number 
of years. 

After remaining at Byfield about five years, 
John Scholfield, during one of his excursions into 
Connecticut and Rhode Island, purchasing wool, 
became acquainted with a valuable water privi- 
lege, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo river, in 
Montville, Conn., which he leased in 1798, from 
Andrew Tracy and wife, for the term of four- 
teen years. This lease runs to Arthur and John, 
is dated April 19, 1799, and includes the water- 
power, a dwelling house, shop and seventeen 
acres of land. In 1798-9, as soon as he could 
make arrangements to that effect, he, with his 



16 FIRST FACTORY IN CONNECTICUT. 

family and Arthur, left Byfield and removed to 
this place. 

The business of the Byfield factory was car- 
ried on for a time by the company after Arthur 
and John Scholfield had sold their interest, but 
the company soon sold out to Lees and Taylor, 
whoattemped to carry on the business, but shortly 
failed. It was subsequently operated for a time 
under the management of John Lees. John 
Lees and John Taylor were Englishmen, and 
were only operatives, employed as weavers in 
the factory while John Scholfield was agent. 

In this enterprise where Arthur and John 
Scholfield were employed, the latter as agent of 
the company, to superintend the construction of 
the machinery and to conduct its business, we 
have the first instance of a woolen factory with 
improved machinery, erected in the United 
States, where the manufacture was successfully 
accomplished, all previous attempts having been 
unsuccessful, by reason of imperfect machinery. 

Immediately upon the removal of Arthur and 
John Scholfield to Montville, they built a factory 
at Uncasville, a village in that town, which they 
put in operation as soon as completed, 

Arthur, after continuing business here for 
a few years, being desirous of establishing him- 



FIRST FACTORY IN CONNECTICUT. 17 

self elsewhere, sold out his interest in 1801 to 
John, and removed to Pittsfield, Mass. 

John continued the operation of the Mont- 
ville factory until 1806, when, owing to threat- 
ened difficulities with the owners of the adjoin- 
ing land, regarding the right to the water-power 
used at the factory, and having purchased a fac- 
tory property in Stonington, sold out to these 
parties, John R. and Nathan Comstock, leaving 
his sons James and Thomas to conduct the busi- 
ness until the termination of the lease. 

This was the first woolen factory put in ope- 
ration in Connecticut. 

This property was owned by Nathan Com- 
stock, Jr.., as late as 1834, when he sold it to 
William G. Johnson, it being the present site 
of the " Johnson Uye Works," at Uncasville, 
the first privilege above the mouth of the Oxo- 
boxo river. 

It is most probable that the Scholfields impor- 
ted a carding-machine from England while at 
Byfield, as, at the time of their removal to Con- 
necticut, they took with them a carding-machine 
of which the frame, cylinders and lags were of 
mahogany. The sons of John Scholfield now liv- 
ing, were familiar wiih this machine, which they 
say was made in England, first put in operation 



18 DR. morse's letter. 

at Byfield, removed to Montville, and subse- 
quently taken to the factory at Stonington. 

Dr. Jedediah Morse always retained a lively 
interest in the welfare of the Scholfield brothers, 
and from the tenor of the following letter, writ- 
ten to John after they were located at Montville, 
appears to have had financial transactions with 
them. 

" Charlestowis, June 7, 1799. 

" Dear Sir. — " Your favor of the 6th ult'mo 
was rec'd by Mrs. Morse while I was absent on 
a journey to Phil'a. I take the earliest opp'y 
since my return to answer it. 

"The 18th of May, 1798, I paid Mr. How- 
land 360 dols. I thank you however for your 
intended indulgence. I had been wishing for a 
long time to settle the balance with you, as I 
knew there was a deficiency, Mr. Lyman hav- 
ing paid me a part through a friend after I had 
drawn the order on him. 

"Before I close this, I will endeavor to pro- 
cure you and enclose the balance, it being 
uneven money is not so convenient. 

" My family are all in good health through a 
kind Providence. Give our regards to your wife, 



THE SECOND FACTORY IN CONNECTICUT. 19 

brother and children, and accept the same for 
yourself, from yours with esteem and affection. 

" Jed'h Morse." 

During the year 1806, John Scholfield bought 
a water privilege and Oil mill in Stonington, 
Conn. , near Pawcatuck Bridge. This mill he filled 
with woolen machinery, and also built near by a 
factory building 30 by 40 feet, two stories high, 
which continued in his charge until 1812, when 
he returned to Montville, placing his son Joseph 
in charge, who operated the factory until 1834, 
when he sold the property to Orsmus M. Still- 
man. It is now standing and forms a portion of 
the Stillmanville Mills. 

Joseph Scholfield was also connected in 1817, 
with others, in the ownership of a woolen facto- 
ry in Dudley, Mass. 

John Scholfield put into this Stonington facto- 
ry, two double carding machines, twenty-four 
inches wide, two spinning-jennies, one with 
forty and one with fifty spindles, and a billy of 
thirty spindles ; the jennies and billy were ope- 
rated by hand, the carding machines by water 
power. 

This was the second woolen factory in Con- 
necticut, and the third place in which John 

3 



20 THE DEATH OF JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 

Scholfield had engaged in manufacturing, — first, 
at Byfield, in 1793-4; second, at Montville, in 
1798-9 ; third at Stonington in 1806. 

In 1813, John Scholfield purchased a factory 
and water privilege in Montville, located about 
four miles from the mouth of the Oxoboxo river, 
upon that stream ; he enlarged the mill, putting 
in woolen machinery, and removed his family to 
this place, where he continued to reside during 
the remainder of his life. 

This mill is now owned and occupied by his 
grandson, Benjamin Scholfield, who continues 
there the manufacture of the celebrated "Schol- 
field Satinet." 

John Scholfield afterwards, in 1814, purchased 
a mill privilege at Waterford, on a stream which 
empties into Bolles Cove, three miles above New 
London, and there erected a factory, which was 
placed in charge of his son Thomas, who contin- 
ued in that position until his father's death in 
1820. 

John Scholfield died February 28, 1 820, aged 
sixty-two years, and was buried in Montville 
Cemetery. By his last will he gave free from 
all incumbrance, his three factory properties as 
follows : the one at Waterford, to his son 
Thomas ; the one at Stonington, to his son 



LONGEVITY OF THE SCHOLFIELD FAMILY. 21 

Joseph ; and the Montville property to his wife 
and younger children, which is now owned by 
one of his descendants. 

In 1813 Thomas Scholfield, son of John, man- 
ufactured and sold the first piece of satinet made 
in Connecticut. It was made upon a loom of his 
own construction ; the wool was from the farm of 
Christopher Greene, in Waterford, and cost one 
dollar a pound ; the warp also cost one dollar a 
pound. This satinet was sold at three dollars per 
yard to Eeuben Langdon, then a dry goods mer- 
chant in the building on the corner of Greene 
and State streets. New London. 

The longevity of John Scholfield's family is 
something remarkable. Of his six children, four 
are still living. James, who resides at Mont- 
ville, will be ninety-eight years old should he 
live to the coming September ; he enjoys good 
health and retains all his faculties in an unusual 
degree, and can read ordinary print without the 
aid of glasses. Mrs. Mary Hinckley, a daughter, 
resides in Stonington; she was ninety-five years 
old on the fourth day of February. Thomas, re- 
siding at North Lynne, was ninety-one, and 
Isaac, residing at Noank, was eighty-one years 
old, — their birthday being the same, — on the 
twenty-first day of March. 



22 THE S(HOLriELDS THE ORIGINATORS. 

The late Mr. Samuel Bachelder, in a commu- 
nication to the Bulletin of the " National Asso- 
ciation of Wool Manufacturers," vol. iv, refers 
to the former article by the writer upon this sub- 
ject, and after quoting two different authorities 
in which Lees and Taylor are mentioned, in one 
of which it is stated, that Lees imported carding 
machinery from England, and put it in operation 
at Byheld in 1796, says : " Both of the above 
accounts agree in fixing the first operation of 
carding by machinery at Byiield, and in the es- 
tablishment of a woolen factory there in 1794, 
and it is not improbable that Scholfield, Lees 
and Taylor are all entitled to some share in the 
credit of contributing this first step in the woolen 
manufacture." 

From this detailed account from various 
sources of the origin of the Byfield factory, con- 
firmed by the testimony of James Scholfield, 
who was then of an age to understand intelli- 
gently what was being done, it is shown that the 
Scholfields alone were the responsible managers 
of this enterprise, and that Lees and Taylor only 
appear after the Scholfields have severed their 
connection with the company, previous to this 
time they had, simply been operatives in the fac- 
tory. 



THE IMPORTATIONS OF MACHINERY. 'i3 

There is much doubt as to Lees having impor- 
ted woolen machinery from England for this mill. 

In '* Keminiscences of a Nonagenarian," she 
says : " The Scholfields were succeeded by 
Messrs. Lees and Taylor. These gentlemen 
were also English. New machinery imported 
from England for the manufacture of cotton cloth 
was put in." 

Bishop, in his " History, of American Manufac- 
tures," says : " Mr. John Lees, who had be- 
come proprietor of the woolen mill in Byfield, 
succeeded about this time (1805), in shipping 
clandestinely, from England in large casks la- 
belled ' as hardware,' in charge of his brother-in- 
law, James Mallalow, a quantity of cotton ma- 
chinery The machinery was erected in 

the factory building." 

Mr. Bachelder's impression rests largely upon 
verbal information and tradition, which he admits 
is always liable to inaccuracy, particularly as to 
dates. John Lees subsequently re appears as a 
cotton manufacturer at Holden, Mass., in 1822. 

Arthur Scholfield remained with John at 
Motitville about three years ; he was married 
there on the sixteenth of April 1801, and in the 
autumn removed to Pittsfield, Mass., where he 
built a carding-machine, and commenced the 



24 DEATH OF ARTHUR SCHOLFIELD. 

business of carding rolls and manufacturing. 
He also built carding-machines and set them up 
for others to operate, as will appear hereafter. 
The remainder of his life was passed in Pittsfield, 
where he died March 27, 1827, aged seventy 
years and six months ; he was buried in the rear 
of the Baptist church in that place. 

The citizens of Berkshire county, having this 
industry brought to them thus early in its history, 
and the first of the textile industries to invite 
their attention, engaged actively in this branch 
of the manufacturing business, making it one of 
the principal centres for the woolen manufacture, 
and maintaining this supremacy down to the time 
of the war of the rebellion. It was said then 
that more woolen machinery was operated in this 
county than in any other within the state of 
Massachusetts. This statement would hardly 
hold good at the present time. 

To the address of the Hon. Ensign H. Kellogg, 
delivered before the " Berkshire Association of 
Woolen Manufacturers," Feb. 22, 1855, is ap- 
pended a sketch of the history of Pittsfield, as 
relating to the introduction of the woolen manu- 
facture into that town, prepared by Mr. Thad- 
deus Clapp, 3d, wherein Arthur Scholfield ap- 
pears as the prominent actor. From this sketch 
I have taken the following, viz.: 



FIRST FULLING MILL IN PITTSFIELD. 25 

" Pittsfield was settled in 175"2, incorporated 
in 1760, and in February, 1770, Valentine Rath- 
bun started the first fulling mill. Mr. Rathbun 
purchased the property now owned by Messrs. 
J. V. Baker & Bros., and in a few weeks his full- 
ing mill and hand-shears were in full operation. 
Stimulated by the extraordinary success of Mr. 
Rathbun (for he charged forty to fifty cents for 
fulling and finishing a single yard of cloth), 
Deacon Barber, in 1776, conceived the idea of 
establishing a rival concern in the north part of 
the town, and accordingly put in operation, near 
where the Pittsfield Company's mills are, an im- 
proved fulling mill, to administer to" the wants of 
the neighborhood. 

"From year to year, as the town increased, 
more clothiers' works were established, until the 
numbers of the profession became quite formida- 
ble." 

In 1805, they had become so numerous that 
the idea of an association for mutual protection 
was suggested. 

'' A writer in the Pittsfield Sun, of April 15, 
1805, under the signature of 'Brother Clothier,' 
published an article, from which the following is 
an extract : ' If a society of clothiers should 
combine for the laudable purpose of investigat- 



26 CLAPP's ACCOUNT OF SCHOLFIELD. 

ing the natural quality of chemical liquids, and 
improve in making and dressing cloth, it would, 
in my opinion, be a society as useful and honor- 
able to the country as a missionary or any other 
society whatever.' " 

Mr. Clapp says: "Arthur Scholfield, the 
man who put in operation the first carding-ma- 
chine, and manufactured the lirst piece of broad- 
cloth in America, came to this country in 1789, 
with Mr. Samuel Slater, the father of cotton 
manufacture. Scholfield came to Pittsfield in 
IHOO. 

" The laws of England did not admit of the 
emigration of machinists, and therefore he took 
ilo tools with him, trusting solely to the power 
of his memory to enable him to construct the 
most complicated machinery. His memory was 
unusually tenacious, and being a good mathe- 
matician, he was enabled to enter into the nice 
calculations required in such a labor, but new 
and important obstacles came up, and he was 
obliged to return to England before he could 
perfect his carding machine. About the year 
1801, his machine was completed, and we have 
his first advertisement in the Pittsfield Sun, of 
Nov. 2, 1801, as follows, viz. : 



FIRST BROADCLOTH MADE. 27 

" 'Arthur Scholfield respectfully informs the 
inhabitants of Pittsfield, and the neighboring 
towns, that he has a carding-machine half a mile 
west of the meeting-house, where they may have 
their wool carded into rolls for twelve and a half 
cents per pound ; mixed, for fifteen, and a half 
cents per pound. If they find the grease, and 
pick and grease it, it will be ten cents per pound 
and twelve and a half cents mixed. They are 
requested to send their wool in sheets, as they 
will serve to bind up the rolls when done. Also 
a small assortment of woolens for sale.' 

" The first broadcloth made in this country 
was by Scholfield, in 1804:. This cloth was a 
gray mixed, and when finished was shown to the 
different merchants and offered for sale, but 
could find no purchasers in the village. A few 
weeks subsequently, Josiah Bissell, a leading 
merchant in town, made a voyage to New York 
for the purpose of buying goods, and brought 
home two pieces of Scholfield's cloth, which were 
purchased for the foreign article. Scholfield 
was sent for to test the quality, and soon exhibi- 
ted to the merchant his private marks on the 
same cloth which he had before rejected. In 
1808, Scholfield manufactured thirteen yards of 



28 scholfield's advertisements. 

black broadcloth, which was presented to James 
Madison, from which his inaugural suit was made. 
Fine merino sheep were introduced to this town 
about this time (they having been but recently 
introduced into the country, from the celebrated 
flocks of Eambouillet), and Scholfield was enabled 
to select enough to make this single piece, and 
President Madison was the first president who 
was inaugurated in American broadcloth. 

" Some advertisements from the files of the 
Pittsfield Sun, of Scholfield's enterprise, will 
show what prices he obtained for his work, and 
how important his operations were regarded. I 
find on a day-book of his, broadcloth charged to 
individuals as early as 1805, and prices paid for 
weaving, from forty to sixty cents per yard. 

" ' Pittsfield Factory, April, 1805. 
" ' Good nevv^s for farmers, only eight cents per 
pound for picking, greasing and carding white 
wool, and twelve and a half cents for mixed. For 
sale. Double Carding-machines, upon a new and 
improved plan, good and cheap Also, a few 
sets of cards made by the shakers [evidently 
hand- cards], and warranted good. 

" ' Arthur Scholfield.' 



scholfield's advertisements. 29 

" ' PiTTSFiELD Factory, 1806. 
" ' Double carding machines, made and sold by 
A. Scholfield for |253 each, without the cards, 
or $400 including the cards. Picking machines 
at $30 each. Wool carded on the same terms 
as last year, viz. : eight cents per pound for white, 
and twelve and a half cents for mixed, no credit 
given.' " 

Carding- machines having been purchased of 
Scholfield, were established at Lanesborough, in 
1805 ; at Lenox ; at Curtis's Mills, in Stock- 
bridge ; at the Falls, near the forge, in Lee ; at 
Mr. Baird's mills, in Bethlehem; and in 1806, 
by Reuben Judd & Co., at Williamstown ; also 
by John Hart, in Cheshire, in 1807. 

Two advertisements of the period, are as fol- 
lows, viz. : 

" Farmers take Notice. Carding-Machine. 
The inhabitants of this and the neighboring 
towns are informed that the subscribers have 
erected, about a mile west of Ezra, Hall's tavern 
in Lanesborough, a carding-machine, at which 
wool of one color will be picked, oiled and 
carded for eight cents, and mixed for twelve and 
a half cents a pound. The work will be super- 
intended by a man who has served a regular ap- 



30 scholfield's advertisements. 

prenticeship to the business ; the strictest atten- 
tion will be paid and every exertion used, to give 
satisfaction to those who bring wool to their ma- 
chine. 

" Bethuel Barker, Jun., & Co. 
'* Lanesborough, May 10, 1805." 

" Carding-Machines. The subscribers, in ad- 
dition to their old carding-machine, have lately 
erected, at their mills near the Furnace in Len- 
ox, a new and double machine, made and let by 
Mr. A. Scholfield, Pittsfield, and by him war- 
ranted to be of the best kind ; they now flatter 
themselves they shall be able to give satisfaction 
to all who bring their wool to their machines. 
Strict attention will be paid by Mr. Perkin, who 
with their present machines, can make as good 
work as is made at any machine, or by any 
workman in the country, (Mr. Scholfield having 
relinquished the carding business ). . . . 

" Walker & Worthington. 

" Lenox, May 6, 180H." 

" The first meeting to form a company for the 
purpose of manufacturing fine cloth and stock- 
ings, was held January 4, 1809, at Pittsfield. 
The following is among the resolutions : — 



SPINNING JENNY. 31 

" Resolved, That the introduction of spinning 
jennies, as is practiced in England, into private 
families, is strongly recommended, since one per- 
son can manage by hand, by the operation of a 
crank, twenty-four spindles/' 

This resolution respecting spinning-jennies, 
seems to imply but a recent knowledge of these 
machines, which is rather surprising, inasmuch 
as the spinning jenny Was invented by James 
Hargreaves about 1T67, and they were intro- 
.duced from England into Philadelphia as early 
as 1775, and John Scholfield made one of forty 
spindles within three months from his landing ; 
which would indicate a more general use of them 
in the country in 1809, than might be inferred 
from this resolution. A spinning-jenny of twen- 
ty-eight spindles for cotton was built in Provi- 
dence by Daniel Anthony, in 1787. 

The invention of the spinning-jenny by Har- 
greaves seems to have been the beginning of im- 
portant improvements in woolen machinery in 
England; as from that time many inventions were 
successfully applied, which operated so power- 
fully upon the woolen business, that in the year 
1800, it was found that the trade had increased 
three-fold in comparatively few years. 

The statements of Mr. Clapp, relative to Ar- 

4 



32 THE EMBARGO. 

thiir Scholfield, differ in several particulars from 
that of the sons of John Scholfield. 

From their account he was associated previous 
to his removal to Pittsfield, in two enterprises 
with John Scholfield, one at Byfield in 179:3-4 ; 
the other at Montville in 1798-9; in both of 
which broadcloth was made ; consequently, the 
carding-machine erected in Pittsfield could not 
have been the first put in operatiou, neither was 
the broadcloth made there the first manufactured 
in the country. Also, it appears that he did not 
come from England with Samuel Slater in 11b9, 
but with John Scholfield in 1793, neither did he 
return there during the time he was engaged in 
building his carding-machine; that was unnec- 
essary, as the process of building carding ma- 
chinery was already known to him, and obstacles 
could easily have been overcome by reference to 
the English machine he had left at Montville. 

In consequence of the controversy between 
the United States and England in 1807, in ref- 
erence to the '-'right of search," so called, an 
embargo was laid by Congress, on the 22d of 
December, upon all vessels within the United 
States. This measure was particularly obnox- 
ious to the people of New England. They 
deemed it both impolitic and oppressive, and by 



THE EMBARGO, 33 

reason of this measure the large shipping inter- 
est of the United States was suspended until its 
repeal. 

Arthur Schollield's business was seriously af- 
fected by this measure, and he writes to his 
brother John as follows, viz.: 

'' PiTTSFiELD, July 11th, 1808. 
" Brother John Yours of the 4th June is 
rec'd. You say you hardly know how you are 
doing for there is an Imbargo laid last Dec'r, 
and it still continues — the Imbargo is here too, 
and likely to stay for what I see. It has swin- 
dled rae out of about 1500 dollars — for besides 
what I shall loose by failures I have 22 Ma- 
chines on hand besides Pickers — they were all 
ingaged last summer, and if times had not turned, 
should have had the money for them now. If I 
had left Buiseness the spring before last it would 
have been much to my interest but at that time 
the Imbargo was not thought of, except by King 
Jefferson and his party, and as they cant do rong 
we must put up with it — I have often thought 
you might have done Better by moving back in- 
to the Country, but as things are now there is 
no doing anything anywhere — have not heard 
from home a long time. 

"Arthur Scholfield." 



34 DEPRESSED CONDITION OF MANUFACTURES. 

After the war of 1812, owing to the over- 
whelming influx of foreign goods, manufactures 
in this country became greatly depressed, and so 
continued for several years ; many who had 
started during the flush times of the war were 
obliged to suspend. Arthur Scholfield's -business 
losses had been severe, and in 1818 he was ad- 
vised by his friends in Pittsiield to make an ap- 
plication to Congress for relief in consideration 
for his services in the early introduction of the 
woolen manufacture to this country. He there- 
fore wrote as follows to his brother John, at 
Montville, requesting his advice and counsel in 
the matter, as they were both equally interested, 
viz.: 

" PrrTSFiELD Apr. 20th 1818. 

"Brother, John, Sir yours 20th Sept 1817 
was duly reed, the reason I did not write sooner 
was I expected to have been able to pay Hicock 
without calling upon you again but finding it 
impossible I last week wrote to Isaac to know 
what situation that Legacy was in perhaps you 
have not heard that he had sold the goods to a 
man in Boston that had failed this he wrote me 
long ago and I thought by this time he might 
know something more about it but he writes me 
now that he has not rec'd a cent nor does he ex- 



ARTHUR AISD JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 35 

pect he ever shall but I don't wish you to distress 
yourself on my act tho Hicock is as needy and 
poor as any of us his family has been sick all 
Winter I was in hope our business would have 
been a little better by this time I have had a 
hard rub through the last winter but am in hope 
of doing a little better for the futer if we have 
our health — there is one thing I want to acquaint 
you with and have your opinion and advice about 
— i have been advised by my friends to apply to 
Congress by a petition as we were the first that 
introduced the woolen Business by Machinery 
in this country and should that plan be adopted 
I have but little hopes of success but they say if 
it does no good it wont doo any harm but at any 
rate I should like your opinion and advice about 
it the thing was suggested to me towards the last 
of the sessions, so that I had not time to write you 
on the subject and to do it on my own account I 
thought it would not be doing you justice as we 
were both equaly concerned, although lam per- 
sonally acquainted with the member from this 
County and have faith to believe he would exert 
himself — Youl think of the thing and write me 
and accept of my best wishes for yourself and 
family, 

*' Arthur Scholfield." 



36 ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 

John, in answer to this letter, wrote to his 
brother that he did not think the plan would 
succeed, and advised him to give it up. He also 
writes that his own business affairs are in a bad 
condition, owing to his having become bondsman 
for his son John, who had, by endorsing for other 
parties become involved in debt, and that he was 
in very feeble health. 

To which Arthur replied as follows, viz. : 

" Brother John Yours of 1 7th Dec'r is rec'd 
— You have the same opinion about the legacy 
that I have (viz) that it is lost, but how it is 1 
dont know — but as you say I have no idea of 
giving a receipt till I receive the money. I sent 
you an exact copy of what Isaac wrote to me, 
but as to the length of time you must lay that to 
me, for he wrote to me in the time of it and re- 
quested me to inform you whether I did or not I 
dont know. 

" With regard to applying to Congress I have 
given that up for I am of your opinion that it 
wont succeed what gave me some hopes I was 
advis'd to it by a member of the Senet who is a 
very influential man in Congress but he is now 
out and I think tis best to drop it Your state- 
ment of your circumstances and what led to it is 



HISTORICAL RECORD. 



37 



truly distressing but I hope you have not been 
so foolish as I was to become obligated for more 
than you are worth which was the case with me 
my situation as it respects property is worse 
than yours but thank God I enjoy my health as 
'well as I ever did which I am sorry to hear is 
not the case with you. 

"Arthur Scholfield." 

Sylvester Judd, in his history of Hadley, says: 
" Carding-machines which were built in many 
towns after 1802, relieved women, who had be- 
fore carded by hand. One was erected at North 
Amherst in 1803, one at the Lower Mills, in 
Hadley, in 1805, and one in North Hadley a few 
years later." 

In "Lincoln's History of Worcester," mention 
is made of two enterprises : Joshua Hale, wdio 
began the carding of wool in the south part of 
the town in 1803, and Peter and Ebenezer Stow- 
ell, who commenced the weaving of carpets and 
plaids in October, 1804, haVing six looms of their 
own invention and construction in operation; 
they also built shearing machines for wool. 

Mr. Samuel Bachelder furnished for the his- 
tory of New Ipswich, N. H., published in 1852, 
a sketch of the cotton manufacture in that town ; 



38 JAMES SAUNDERSON. 

he there refers to James Saunderson, as con- 
nected in a collateral way with that industry, 
and also, as an early woolen manufacturer in 
that town. 

James Saunderson came from a manufactur- 
ing district in Scotland to this country, in 1794, 
and to New^ Ipswich in 1801, where he soon 
afterward put in operation a carding-machine for 
carding wool ; this was the first carding-machine 
introduced into the state. The woolen cloth of 
household manufacture, which constituted the 
principal clothing of the people, was imperfectly 
made by reason of the primitive mode of card- 
ing. The advent of this machine created much 
interest in this region, the inhabitants abandoned 
the old process, and wool was brought from the 
neighboring towns for a long distance to be 
carded in this improved manner. He also car- 
ried on the manufacture of woolens, and from 
1812 to 1814 his business was quite extensive. 

Mr. Saunderson had also the skill (then almost 
unknown in this country) of dyeing indigo blue, 
by the same process as is now practiced in our 
best manufacturing establishments. 

The housewife could take her yarn to the 
dye-house in the morning, have it dyed to a 
beautiful and permanent color, ready to be car- 



FIRST FACTORY IjS RHODE ISLAND. 39 

ried home at night ; this was a matter of no in- 
considerable wonder. 

The skill of Mr. Saunderson afterwards proved 
to be of importance to the cotton manufacture of 
the town ; in the production of colored fabrics 
he was employed to dye the yarn, and was sub- 
sequently employed by the Hamilton Manufac- 
turing Company in skein-dyeing, soon after they 
commenced business at Lowell. 

The first attempt at woolen manufacture in 
Rhode Island, was at Peace Dale, by Joseph Cong- 
don and John Warren Knowles, who set up a 
carding machine in 1804, and soon afterward sold 
out to Rowland Hazard. This machine simply 
carded the wool into rolls which were put out to 
be spun by hand. 

About 1812, Thomas R. Williams invented a 
power-loom for weaving saddle girths and other 
webbing, and probably in 1813, and certainly not 
later than 1814, these looms were started at 
Peace Dale. After they had been fully tested, 
Rowland Hazard purchased four of them for 
$300 each, and in 1814 or 1815, they were in 
successful operation. 

The operation of power-looms at Peace Dale 
antedates those started in Judge Lyman's mill at 
North Providence, in 1817, by at least two years, 



40 FIRST POWER LOOMS. 

and it is most probable that they were the first 
power-looms successfully oi)erated in America, 
unless exception be made in favor of Francis C. 
Lowell, at Waltham, in 1814. 

It is the opinion of James Scholfield, that the 
first application' of water-power in this country 
for operating the spinning-jenny was by Mr. Haz- 
ard at Peace Dale. Isaac P. Hazard and Row- 
land G. Hazard, sons of Rowland Hazard, took 
charge of this business in 1819, and they with 
their successors in the family, have made many 
additions to the property, until, from this small 
beginning it has grown into the present exten- 
sive establishment of the Peace Dale Manufac- 
turing Company, and has continued in the own- 
ership of the family for nearly eighty years. 

The late Hon. Zachariah Allen recently pre- 
pared for the writer an interesting sketch of the 
first attempt at woolen manufacture in this city. 
After speaking of the home manufacture by the 
hand-card and spinning-wheel, so universal be- 
fore the introduction of machinery, Mr. Allen 
says : — 

" The declaration of war with England in June, 
1812, with a preceding embargo and non inter- 
course act, had advanced the price of manufac- 
tured cloths so excessively as to direct public at- 



EARLY MANUFACTHRE IN PROVIDENCE. . 41 

tention to the branches of industry, of both cot- 
ton and woolen manufactures. An experienced 
manufacturer came to Providence, 1 believe from 
the west of England, and induced my brother- 
in-law, Mr. Sullivan Dorr, Samuel G. Arnold, 
Joseph S. Martin, Daniel Lyman, and E. K. Ran- 
dolph, to form a company for the manufacture 
of broadcloths. This was the Providence Wool- 
en Manufacturing Co. They commenced the 
erection of a large stone mill at the north end of 
Providence, with two wings and a dye-house.* 
A high pressure steam engine and cylindrical 
boilers were obtained from Oliver Evans, in Phil- 
adelphia, being the iirst steam engine for manu- 
facturing purposes used in Khode Island, as I 
believe. Apprehensions of the capture of it by 
British vessels induced the enterprising owners 
to arrange for the redemption of it by a liberal 
price, but it arrived safely. 

" The cards were arranged on the lower floor of 
the centre building, the hand-looms in the wings 
and the spinning-jennies of forty spindles each 
on the upper floors. The shearing machines 
were of the Mussy pattern, used by hand, but 
were arranged by the ingenious manager, Mr. 
Sanford, to be operated by steam-[)ower, with 

*Tliis mill now forms a part of the Allen's Print Works. 



42 EARLY MANUFACTURE IN PROVIDENCE. 

the cloth to traverse under the cutting-blades. 
A napping machine, made with pointed brass 
wires, arranged on a revolving cylinder, was new- 
ly invented, with adjustable parts to operate safe- 
ly and efficiently. This machine and the fulling 
mills were placed in the basement. Mr. Sanford 
had a skillful dyer, Mr. Partridge, from the west 
of England, who was able to operate woad vats 
for blue dyeing. The colors he produced were 
highly admired, and the cloths were well made, 
and very durable ; but the quality of the wool 
being somewhat coarse, most of the products 
were not of fine quality. During the war a 
quantity of Spanish wool was captured in prizes, 
which gave them a finer article at comparatively 
lower prices, and proved profitable for a time. 
They accumulated a large amount of broadcloths 
and refused an off'er of eight dollars per yard, 
with the expectation of a further advance. But 
the arrival of the ship Bramble with news of an 
armistice signed by the Commissioners of the 
United States, at Ghent, put an end to all their 
hopes in the further manufacture of broadcloths. 
AVith the influx of foreign cloths of superior 
quality, the stock was closed out at a loss to the 
company of about |150,000, and the mill was 
closed. 



ZACHARIAH ALLEn's MILL. 43 

" After the lapse of a few years the buildings 
were sold for a 'Print Y^orks,' to Philip Allen, 
for which use they are occupied at the present 
day." 

In 1822, Mr. Zachariah Allen erected a mill 
at Allendale, North Providence, for the manu- 
facture of broadcloths. He there started the 
first power loom for weaving broadcloth oper- 
ated in this state. Mr. Allen pursued the wool- 
en business until 1839, using, as they appeared, 
the improved condenser for the carding machine, 
the improved English teazel cylinder, the exten- 
sion roller (his invention, and first applied suc- 
cessfully at this mill), and other improvements 
in machinery. The first introduction of steam 
rolling, to give a gloss to the finished cloth, was 
at Allendale. In 1H39, Mr. Allen sold the wool- 
en machinery, and filled the mill with cotton ma- 
chinery; it is still operated as a cotton mill by a 
member of his family. 

Captain Abner Stearns, in 1805, purchased a 
water-privilege in West Cambridge, Mass., and 
erected a large building for the purpose of card- 
ing wool into rolls for hand- spinning in the fam- 
ilies of the farmers. The whole of the second 
story was devoted to carding-machines and pick- 
ers. As there was no other carding factory in 



44 ■ CAPTAIN ABNER STEARNS. 

that section it was a great convenience to the 
farmers, who brought their wool for many miles 
around to be carded into rolls for spinning, and 
batting for hatters' use. He charged ten cents 
per pound for carding, and did a thriving busi- 
ness, often running the machines both day and 
night. In 1812, he erected another large build- 
ing near his carding factory, where, with other 
machinery, he had a fulling mill and a spinning- 
jenny of seventy-two spindles ; the yarn was 
taken elsewhere to be woven into broadcloth and 
then returned to the factory to be finished. Dur- 
ing the war of 1812 he had a good business, but 
the peace of 1815, with the influx of British 
goods at low duties, rendered it so unprofitable 
that he sold out to James SchOuler, a calico 
]>rinter, of Lynn. These buildings were de- 
stroyed by fire, July 27th, 1875. C'apt. Stearns 
was an ingenious mechanic, and an upright, en- 
terprising citizen; upon selling out his manufact- 
uring property, in 1816, he removed to his old 
homestead in Billerica, where he died in 1838. 

In Hill's History of Mason Village, N. H., 
mention is made of an enterprise started by John 
Everett, and of his having erected a carding and 
fulling mill soon after 1800 ; there is no confir- 
mation of this early date from any other source. 



HISTORICAL RECORD. 45 

Mr. Bachelder places the date as 1810, when 
Mr. Everett commenced the manufacture of 
woolens ; he erected a mill on the south branch 
of the Souhegan river. His first business was 
the fulling and dressing of woolen cloth that 
had been spun and woven in families; he after- 
wards manufactured satinet. In 1815, he paid 
twelve cents per yard for weaving. 

According to Potter's History of Manchester, 
N. H., a project was started in 1809 and con- 
summated in 1810, for the manufacture of cot- 
ton and wool at Amoskeag Falls, in GoiFstown, 
N. H. The company was incorporated June 
15, 1810, under the name of the "Amoskeag 
Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company." 
There is no evidence that the manufacture of 
woolens was entered upon ; it was an unprofita- 
ble enterprise. The ownership changed several 
times ; ultimately falling into strong hands, it 
formed the basis for one of the wealthiest man- 
ufacturing corporations in the country — the 
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, Manches- 
ter, N. H. 

The associations of the writer during his ear- 
ly life with the society and business of the town 
of Uxbridge, Mass., may excuse the somewhat 
lengthy history of woolen manufacture in that 



46 THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 

town. Daniel Day, Joseph Day, and Jerry Whee- 
lock, under the firm of Daniel Day and Compa- 
ny, built their first mill in 1810. Its size was 
twenty by forty feet, two stories, containing a 
carding-machine and picker, for the purpose of 
carding rolls for home manufacture. In the 
spring of 1811 they built an addition to the mill 
of twenty-five by thirty feet, three stories high, 
and in July put in a billy and jenny for spin- 
ning. In September they added a hand-loom ; 
early in 1812 they put in another loom, and dur- 
ing the year added three more, making five looms 
in all. The picker (the mechanism used by the 
weaver to throw the shuttle) was the same as in 
use at the present time. It was operated by a 
picker-string attached to the picker-stick held in 
the hand, while the harnesses were operated by 
the feet of the weaver, 
i The first weavers employed by Mr. Day were 
English. Desiring to get more reliable persons, 
he applied to Orsmus Taft (then a young man, 
who was desirous of leaving the farm and of 
learning the manufacturing business,) to go into 
his mill to weave. He accepted the ofi"er, at 
what was considered by some of his friends and 
the Englishmen, rather low wages. But he 
thought, " let those laugh who win," and in 



THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 47 

about a year he had charge of the weaving ; now 
Yankees generally took the place of the Eng- 
lish. He always supposed that he was the first 
American to weave satinet in Massachusetts. 

Mr. Charles A. Wheelock, of Uxbridge, in an 
appendix to the address of Hon. Henry Chapin, 
delivered at Uxbridge in 1864, and published in 
1881, gives an interesting history of the manu- 
facturing business of that town, in which he re- 
fers to this enterprise of Messrs. Daniel Day & 
Co., and says: 

" Some three years since, in looking over some 
old papers of my father's, which came into my 
hands on the decease of my mother, I found a 
receipt, of which the following is a copy : 

" 'Uxbridge, August 27th, 1811. 
*' * Rec'd of Jerry Wheelock seventy-five dol- 
lars in part payment for the picking and carding- 
machine I have lately built and put in operation 
in the shop of Mr, Daniel Day, in Uxbridge. 
Artemcs Dryden, Jr.' 

" Here we have a glimpse of the beginning 
of the woolen manufacture in Uxbridge, and, as 
I believe, of the first woolen carding-machine 
and picker built in Worcester county." 

Mr. Dryden lived in the town of Worcester, 



48 THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 

and from this early period to the present time, 
this has been one of the most important centres 
in the country for the manufacture of woolen 
machinery. 

The introduction of cotton manufacture into 
this town was coeval with that of woolen, in 
1810. The first movement was made at North 
Uxbridge, familiarly known as " Rogerson's," 
now the Uxbridge Cotton Mills. The billy and 
spinning-jenny were made by Arthur SchoMeld, 
of Pittsfield, Mass. 

The second attempt at woolen manufacture 
in Uxbridge was so characteristic of the time, 
when the country people of New England espec- 
ially were ambitious for other occupations than 
farming, shoemaking and tavern keeping, and 
ready to cooperate in the then new and fascinat- 
ing business of manufacturing, that Mr. Whee- 
lock's history of this enterprise is given with 
considerable detail, viz.: 

'' The next attempt at woolen manufacturing 
was made by the Rivulet Manufacturing Com- 
pany, which was incorporated in 1816, although 
the company was formed and buildings erected 
in 1814, and the business of manufacturing was 
begun in the winter of 1814 and '15. The cap- 
ital paid in was 114,000 ; the shares were |500, 



THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 49 

each. It was agreed that no dividend should 
be paid until the expiration of eight years, a 
wise provision to make in this instance. As a 
matter of fact, no dividend was ever paid; and 
when the business was closed up, the stockhold- 
ers received little, if any, more than half the 
amount paid in, and without interest. 

" The original members of the company were, 
Daniel Carpenter, Samuel Read, Ephraim Spring, 
Alpheus Baylies, John Capron, Jerry Wheelock, 
Samuel Judson, Joseph 11. Perry, Thomas Far- 
nura, and Ezband Newell. The two last named 
persons, I think, soon surrendered their shares 
to the other members of the company. Daniel 
Carpenter was a merchant, and had been en- 
gaged in trade outside of an ordinary country 
merchant's trade, which well fitted him for the 
position he was now to assume — that of agent. 
Samuel Read was a farmer, hotel keeper, and 
owner of the privilege on which the mill was 
to be built. Ephraim Spring was also a farmer, 
and owner of real estate available for business 
purposes, besides having a son desirous of be- 
coming a manufacturer in some of its branches. 
Alpheus Baylies was a farmer with sons who 
Avished to become manufacturers. John Capron 
was a clothier by trade, cloth finisher and dyer, 



50 THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 

whose proposition to the company will appear 
by-and-by. Jerry Wheelock was a mechanic, 
and one of the original Daniel Day Company, 
and well acquainted with the construction and 
operation of machinery, and with the manage- 
ment of stock, which would fit him for the place 
of superintendent. Eev. Samuel Judson, the 
Congregationalist minister, was, so far as I know, 
the only man who might be considered a capi- 
talist. He joined the company for the sake of 
the profits from the investment, and a poor in- 
vestment it proved. Joseph H. Perry was a 
young man who came from Dudley, Mass., and 
had money enough to take a share in the com- 
pany and have an opportunity to learn a trade. 
These men were all of moderate means, of ster- 
ling integrity, and good business qualifications 
and intelligence. 

" Surely such men were, and are now, the very 
men and the only men fit to try the the cooper- 
ative principle in business. This was a cooper- 
ative association ; nothing more, nothing less. 

" John Capron came to Uxbridge near the 
close of the last century. The first mention of 
his name that I have noticed on the town books, 
is as one of the committee to superintend the 
building of the school-houses in 1797. He had 



THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 51 

acquired the trade of a custom clothier at the 
Cargill mill, in Pomfret, Conn. He purchased 
the Col, Eead estate and water-power, and set 
up the business of finishing the cloth woven in 
families in this vicinity. This will account for 
the following proposition : — 

"'At an adjourned meeting of the Rivulet 
Manufacturing Company, holden January 2d, 
1815, at Capt. Samuel Read's, I made the fol- 
lowing proposition to the meeting, in order to 
join said company, viz.: that I would take 
shares to the amount of |1,00(), |1,500, $2,000, 
or f 2,500, and give my note to the company, 
on interest ; then to do the dyeing of all the 
wool and the dressing of all the cloth for the 
company, at the common price of doing the 
same, till I had paid for as . many shares as 
they should choose I should take with them, 
and that all charges for the same should be en- 
dorsed on my note at the end of every ninety 
days from the beginning till the whole be paid ; 
that I should then be entitled to the same value 
of dyeing and dressing cloth for which said com- 
pany are to pay me at the end of every ninety 
days ; that is to say, that I shall do or cause to 
be done, in manner as above stated, work to the 
value of $5,000, in the whole. 



52 THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 

" ' Then it was voted unanimously that I should 
take five shares, being the highest sum I had 
proposed, and in every respect agreeable to the 
foregoing proposition. 

"'John Capron. 

"'Uxbridge, March 24th, 1815.' 

" It is, therefore, easy to be seen why John 
Capron became a cooperator in this company. 

" Artemas Dryden, Jr., made the carding- 
machine and picker for the company ; and John 
and George Carpenter, of this town, built the bil- 
lies and jennies ; the first machinery built in this 
town, unless they had previously built a jenny for 
Daniel Day. 

" The weaving was all done by hand-looms, 
and the goods were chiefly satinets, although 
some broadcloths and cassimeres were made. 

" On the expiration of the contract with John 
Capron, the Hivulet Company put in finishing 
machinery, and, among other things, a shearing- 
machine with a revolving blade, or cutter, to be 
driven by power, then a recent invention by 
William Hovey, of Worcester." 

As an instance of the prices paid for finish- 
ing woolen cloth, Mr. Wheelock gives a bill of 
Benjamin Cragin, of Douglas, against Daniel 



THE MANUFACTURE IN UXBRIDGE. 53 

Day and Company, of September 23d, 1813, 
viz. : — 

" For Dressing 24 yds. wool cloth 

N. Blue, at 25-100, . . . $6.00 
For Fulling and Dressing 17 J 

yds. Satinet, at 20-100, . . 3.40 



$9.40" 
About the entire cost of manufacture for 
three-quarter yard wide goods, during the last 
twenty years. 

The other mills erected in this town previous 
to 1830, will be briefly alluded to. That of 
John Capron and Sons was built in 1820, or 
1821 ; the Luke Taft mill, now Wheelock's, in 
1825 ; and that of the Uxbridge Woolen Man- 
ufacturing Company, in the same year. This 
was an incorporated company. The original 
members of the company were Amariah Chapin, 
Royal Chapin, Dr. George Willard, John and 
Orsmus Taft. These men were all relatives, 
and owners of the land on which the mill and 
other necessary buildings, and tenements for the 
employes, would stand, and of the most of the 
land through which the canal leading to the 
mill would pass. The Messrs. Chapin were 
merchants and active business men, father and 



54 SAMUEL SLATER. 

son. The Messrs. Taft were brothers, both of 
them were manufacturers, and had been more or 
less engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods 
for several years. 

In 1815, Samuel Slater (the father of cotton 
manufacture in the United States), in connection 
with Edward Howard, started a small woolen mill 
in the East Village, Webster, Mass., for manu- 
facturing broadcloths and other woolens. This 
mill was destroyed by fire in 1820, when the 
purchase of a privilege was made at the South 
Village where the business was continued, form- 
ing a nucleus for the large establishment of the 
Slater Woolen Company. 

It has been stated that this was the first at- 
tempt to manufacture American broadcloths. 
From what has preceded it is shown that this 
was not the first. A number of mills had made 
a previous attempt to manufacture broadcloth, 
and had succeeded ; this is the only concern 
which has continuously made them, now for a 
period of more than sixty years. 

Ezek Pitts commenced making woolen cloth 
in 1812, at the village of Millville, in the then 
town of Mendon, Mass.; his carding and spin- 
ning were done in an old building, awaiting the 
completion of his mill, which was in 1814, and 



GROWTH OF MANUFACTURES. 55 

believed to be the first woolen mill on the Black- 
stone river. 

The growth of woolen manufacture was very 
slow during the first decade of this century ; the 
limited supply of domestic wool doubtless had 
its effect in repressing this industry. The growth 
of wool was everywhere encouraged, but in 1810 
the annual production had only reached 14,000,- 
000 pounds. 

From 1809 to 1815, woolen mills multiplied 
rapidly throughout New England and the Mid- 
dle States; at Oriskany, N. Y., in 1809 ; at Phila- 
delphia, Pa., Pittsfield, Northampton, Watertown, 
Uxb ridge, and other places in Massachusetts, 
from 1809 to 1812, and at Providence, E. L, in 
the latter year. The State of New York granted 
no less than twelve charters for woolen factories 
during this year. The largest manufacturing 
establishment for fine woolens at this time in 
New England was theMiddletown Woolen Man- 
ufacturing Company, at Middletown, Conn. 

The manufactured product showed a corre- 
sponding increase, in 1810 the annual production 
had only reached the value of |4,000,000. But 
the war of 1812 gave this industry the great ad- 
vantage of our own market, freed from the com- 
petiton of England, so that in 1815 the annual 



56 ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 

production had reached a value of $19,000,000;* 
aud when we consider that previous to 1793, not 
a woolen mill bordered the banks of our rivers, 
not a yard of goods was made except those pro- 
duced by the family from the hand-card and the 
spinning-wheel, we can but look with surprise 
upon the progress which this new branch of in- 
dustry had made in this country to that time. 

This investigation shows that John Manning 
had land granted him by the town of Ipswich, 
Mass., in 1'792, upon which to build a woolen 
factory, which grant was subsequently confirmed 
to him in 1795, when the factory had been 
erected. 

The work done here was all performed by 
hand, being no advance upon the method previ- 
ously pursued. 

This enterprise is presented as a representative 
of several others, all earlier than the establish- 
ment at Byfield, and all using the more primitive 
mode of manufacture before the introduction of 
the carding-machine. 

It also shows that Arthur and John Scholfield 
came from England in March, 1793, with a knowl- 
edge of the process of manufacturing woolen 
cloths, as pursued there ; that they did during 

* The Fleece and the Loom. .Toliii I^. Hayes, LL. D. 



ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 57 

that and tlie following year erect and put into 
operation wool carding-machines at Byfield, 
Mass., which were the first erected ; thus intro- 
ducing the woolen manufacture into this coun- 
try ; that in 1 798-9, they built a factory at Mont- 
ville, Conn., and furnished that with the improved 
machinery; also, that in 1801, Arthur Scholfield 
left his brother John, and removed to Pittsfield, 
Mass., where he erected the first carding-machine 
introduced to that section of the country, and 
followed the business of manufacturing woolen 
goods with such success that in 1804 his broad- 
cloths, consigned to the New York market were 
sold in successful competition with the imported 
article; while in 1808, he had made such sub- 
stantial progress as to be able to make and furnish 
the President of the United States with fine 
American black broadcloth, for an inaugural suit, 
this being the first (and perhaps the last) time 
that a President of the United States has been 
inaugurated in a suit made from cloth of home 
manufacture ; and also, that John Scholfield 
engaged in his third enterprise in 1806, at Paw- 
catuck Bridge, in Stonington. 

Of the six manufacturing enterprises with 
which they were connected, four were earlier ; 
the first, fifteen or sixteen years previous to that 



58 ARTHUR AND JOHN SCHOLFIELD. 

of Dr. Setli Caproii, at Oriskany, N. Y., in 1809; 
referred to by Hon. J. G. Dudley, in his paper 
read before the New York Historical Society, as 
being " the first woolen factory built in the United 
States." 

Other factories were built soon after 1800; 
that of James Sanderson, at New Ipswich, N. 
H., and at Amherst, Hadley, Worcester, West 
Cambridge, and other towns in Massachusetts 
and in Connecticut. 

The carding-machines erected at this period 
in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connec- 
ticut had their origin in the enterprise and skill 
exhibited by Arthur and John Scholfield, by their 
introduction and successful operation of this im- 
proved machinery for perfecting the process of 
manufacturing woolen goods; to them should be 
awarded the credit due to pioneers of this indus- 
try, and also due to them, as being the first suc- 
cessful woolen manufacturers in the United 
States. 



Illlllllllllllllilllllli 

018 532 861 2 




^s«m:^ 



